Terri's Wellspring

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; 

he’s the one who will keep you on track.  Psalms 3:5-6 MSG

Have you heard someone speaking and you weren’t able to make out the words that are being spoken?  Have you found yourself moving closer so that you can be in better position to hear their words?  Once you reach close proximity, have you ever leaned in to make sure that you are hearing every word clearly?  Did you focus on their words and the cadence of their speech to understand not only their words but the feelings from their heart?  The process of listening takes hearing, focus and comprehension.  I believe God is speaking.  He is speaking to us daily.  If we move closer, we can hear His message of love to us.  If we lean in we can hear that His Son Jesus Christ came that we might have life and life more abundantly.  If we focus on His Word and the many stories and letters it contains to us, they illustrate how great His desire is for us to live as His blessed Children.  His plan for us is for good and not evil.  He desires for us to come closer, lean in and experience His love.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NLT  

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. Psalms 34:1

The “I will” portion of this scripture reflects a personal decision and acknowledgment to give praise to the One who is so worthy of all the praise. We can approach each day and each situation with praises to the Lord on our lips and in our heart. We serve a Heavenly Father whose love for us is beyond our understanding. He loves us and has given us both grace and mercy, as we welcome another day. I am thankful this day for God’s goodness and faithfulness to me and to all of His children. We are praying for His continued leading and that every aspect of me, my thoughts, my words and the fruit of my hands will be used for His glory. We will have His praises on our lips and His songs in our hearts throughout this day and the days to come.

I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 34:1-3

The words of our mouth contain great power. We use our mouths all day long to say words to others, ourselves and even to God. What we say in each case is critical. Our words often reflect what we believe and the concerns of our heart. The conversation that goes on with me, myself, and God can make or break my day. I experienced this recently, where I made a conscious effort to praise God while I was working on each project. It was a busy day full of pressure and demands. But the Lord blessed me where I kept a flow of praises on my lips. “Lord, I thank you.” “Lord, I bless your name.” “You are great and greatly to be praised.” It was peaceful flow that allowed me to finish tasks and assignments with relative ease. I was so thankful for this blessing. This experience showed me the power that we have to choose praise instead of worry or strife. Praises on our lips can bring peace, contentment and joy even in the middle of confusion around us. Our praise is powerful.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20 NLT

I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’ Hosea 10:12

The Lord is so faithful to continue His work in us. I am so thankful for His love and mercy that accepts us just as we are. Wherever we may find ourselves, Jesus loves us enough to embrace us and continue us on our journey toward His purpose for our lives. Work on our hearts and minds concerning our thinking versus His, requires openness on our part. Some of us have allowed “hard” places to develop, so that it is difficult for the work to be done. Our passage today reflects on the need to break up the hard or fallow ground that may exist in our hearts. That unplowed rigid place is not usable in its current state. We are challenged to create cultivated areas of our hearts that God can use and plant seeds of love, which will bless us with a harvest beyond measure. It may take faith and courage to open your heart but whatever it takes, move forward today and break it up.

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.
For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Psalms 34:1-7

God has been good to me. When I think about His mercy and His love that He has shown to me, it brings tears to my eyes. My Heavenly Father has continued to show compassion toward the matters of my heart. He continues to provide peace, protection and motivation to move toward higher ground even though I don’t deserve it. I thank God for the ultimate blessing of relationship that compels me toward His will and not my own. In His will I can find peace and love. In His will I can work on the nooks and crannies of my life that need work toward better living. In His will I can continue to nurture trust and faith that He will never leave me nor forsake me. In this place, He will provide peace and protection, free from fear and the anxiety that this world has to offer. I am thankful to God and my savior Jesus for these blessings. I will bless the Lord at all times.

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. Philippians 1:6 Amplified

Reaching toward the mark is a continuous commitment. Our God was faithful to provide the path of salvation for us. He continues to provide the powerful tools of His Holy Spirit, His Holy Word, shepherds, teachers and fellow travelers to provide guidance and encouragement along the way. He even provides assurance that the wonderful process that He began in us will continue until completion. We may be concerned that we make mistakes, and not get everything right but our God is faithful to accept repentance and to help us to learn from our mistakes. We are so thankful for a wonderful Savior who makes our victorious lives possible. We thank God that He continues to show mercy despite our shortcomings. We are thankful for our Faithful Father for the committed work of His hands in our lives.

Be strong and •brave [courageous; resolute]. Be •sure [careful] to obey all the •teachings [law] my servant Moses •gave [commanded] you. If you •follow them exactly [do not turn from it to the right or to the left], you will be successful in everything you do. Joshua 1:7 EXB

Brave. Courageous. Resolute. Each of these words is a vivid attribute for Joshua to embrace as He faced leading God’s people after the death of Moses. Joshua was called to be strong and brave, disciplined and careful to follow God’s commandments. Success was promised if He was able to follow God’s leading on the path ahead. This was Joshua’s calling and at some level all of us are called to be both strong and courageous. We need to be strong, even when we are tempted to be weak or afraid. We may be called to step out on faith to do things that we could not have imagined. But when God is calling and leading, we must gather all the strength, we can muster to take the next step. Moving forward, we can be careful to listen for His voice and His direction. He promised to be with us each step of the way. We will be diligent and faithful to follow His Word that provides His wisdom and His will for our lives. With the Lord’s leading, we can be strong and brave.

But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul. Joshua 22:5 NLT

You can feel the change of season in the air. There is a familiar cool, crispness that feels like Autumn. This time of year, with a mix of warm days and cooler nights, is a reminder that the season is changing. If you are like me, you are trying to savor the sun and soak in the rays that may become scarce in the days to come. This is a time of reflection for me to think about all of the blessings of the last season. Our Heavenly Father has kept us. He has blessed our minds, bodies and souls with healing, renewed thinking and an abiding faith to stay on the journey with Him. I am so thankful for these blessings that are complete with His love, peace and joy. As the earth is transitioning into a new season, my mind and soul are preparing for the next leg of the journey. The next season, like the last, will require us to stand in faith, believing in His Word and His perfect will for us. We will need to continue to trust Him for direction in every area of our lives. We will need to show strength, courage and discipline to follow His lead and His instructions. He is faithful to direct us, every step of the way and we are thankful. The next season will have its challenges but we will remember the blessings of the previous days of our journey and know that He is able.

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:6 NLT

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

II Corinthians 12:9  

The Lord provides perfect strength.  His powerful strength can permeate our hearts and our minds when we need it most.  We can present ourselves to Him, just as we are.  No special preparation is required.    We can present our brokenness, our despair and our grief and He is able meet us right we are.  He can provide power, bolstering and building up the places where we need His help.  His strength is perfected in our areas of need allowing us to meet the challenges of the day.  Lean on Him and release your cares to Him.  He loves us and is concerned about us.  He will provide the strength we need for today and the days to come.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  I Peter 5:7  NLT